Department for Transport

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government in respect of the power supply demands of HS2, whetherHS2 Ltd hasapplied to National Grid for such a supply; what capital cost contribution is required by the supplier;whether the cost of the extra generating capacity required and supply costs will be met by enhanced tariff charges; and to what extent those costs are included in the HS2 budget of £24.1 billion at 2013 prices.

baroness sugg: HS2 Ltd has applied for power supplies in respect of traction power demand and has signed both Construction and Connection agreements with National Grid for the provision of traction power supplies. All capital costs are included in HS2 Ltd funding envelope.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the cost of one or more traction maintenance facilities for HS2 rolling stock are included in the overall HS2 budget; and if so, where and to what level.

baroness sugg: The maintenance facilities for HS2 rolling stock and train borne signalling equipment is included as part of HS2 Ltd funding envelope. They are included in packages for ongoing Phase One procurements, as such, the proposed costings are commercially sensitive.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the costs of the 561 packages of enabling works for HS2 construction works are located in the overall cost estimate; for how many of those are the necessary land and property agreements complete; and whether their completion is in line with the overall construction programme.

baroness sugg: Early Works Contractors bring forward requests for land access and possessions on a continuous basis. The majority of requests from Early Works Contractors relate to access for surveys rather than requests for land possession, which may require acquisition of land and property. There are different lead times for different types of access or possession and different arrangements put in place depending upon the nature of the access or the acquisition.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 6 June (HL8406), whether the economic case for HS2, to be published in 2019 as part of the Full Business Case for Phase One, will include any increases in the capital cost budget above the £24.1 billion at 2013 prices that was presented to Parliament for the High Speed Rail (London–West Midlands) Bill as a result of (1) responses from suppliers and contractors, (2) additional costs of land and property costs and compensation and enabling works, and (3) any update on the likely traffic and revenue from the trains using the completed line; and under what economic circumstances they would review the need for the project, its scope and construction time scale.

baroness sugg: The Full Business Case for HS2 Phase One to be published in 2019 will be based upon the latest available total cost estimate for the Phase One scheme. This cost estimate will be informed by supplier feedback where contracts have been awarded and will reflect expenditure to date and projected income and maintenance costs. Where contracts have not yet been awarded (e.g. railway systems, rolling stock) HS2 Ltd estimates will be used. The Department’s business case appraisal regime means that the Full Business Case will be a robust and comprehensive assessment of the Phase One scheme in terms of its value for money, achievability, deliverability, strategic value and affordability. In respect to affordability we are determined that the Phase One scheme will be delivered within the funding envelope of £27.18bn (including rolling stock and in 2015 prices).

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 9 April (HL6750), whether they will commission an independent study of the options for operating Pendolino trains on HS2 during the period before Phase 2B is complete, to consider (1) the speeds at which they are able to operate, (2) the capacity of HS2 in this period, and (3) comparisons between the speed of tilting Pendolinos on the winding route north of Preston with the non-tilting HS2 trains, so that a comparative cost and benefit estimate can be produced.

baroness sugg: HS2 Ltd. is currently procuring a new high speed train fleet for Phase 1. HS2 Ltd. has extensively considered the rolling stock requirements to deliver the full benefits of the HS2 business case, taking account of journey times, capacity and cost, and concluded that a high-speed, conventional-compatible fleet represents the best value for money option. HS2 Ltd.’s work has been subject to rigorous assurance.

London North Eastern Railway

lord palmer: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much (1) has been spent to date and, (2) further has been allocated, for the rebranding of rolling stock and personnel uniforms to London North Eastern Railway from Virgin Trains East Coast.

baroness sugg: The estimated cost of rebranding the existing rolling stock and issuing new uniform items to staff is approximately £550,000. The incurring of these costs are normal at the end of any franchise where the operator changes as LNER could not use the Virgin brand following the transfer of the services to LNER. It was also important to spend this money in order to help establish this new brand in the market and maintain customer awareness of the services on offer. Further expenditure will be incurred in the future on developing and marketing the LNER brand as the operator of the East Coast route. This will be a matter for the LNER Board and decisions will be taken by them on a commercial basis.

Govia Thameslink Railway: Standards

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the contracts agreed with Great Northern and Thameslink on the Peterborough to London line provide for sufficient frequency and capacity of trains to enable adequate seating for passengers for the duration of their journey.

baroness sugg: The full Great Northern and Thameslink timetable between London and Peterborough is designed to reflect the demand for these services in line with the requirements in the Franchise Agreement. We have been clear that the level of service since the May 2018 timetable change is not acceptable.

Govia Thameslink Railway: Standards

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last met senior officials from Great Northern and Thameslink for the London to Peterborough line to ensureprogress on running a reliable timetable.

baroness sugg: Officials from the Department for Transport are in daily contact with senior officials from Great Northern and Thameslink to ensure that performance on this part of the network is stabilised as soon as possible.

Govia Thameslink Railway: Standards

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by Great Northern and Thameslink that for most afternoons on the London to Peterborough line there will be no stopping trains for 2 hours or more.

baroness sugg: We have made clear that the level of service since the May 2018 timetable change is not acceptable. Great Northern and Thameslink are currently operating an amended timetable to try to provide passengers with certainty. However, they plan to publish a new interim timetable in mid-July which is designed to bring stability to the service.

Govia Thameslink Railway: Standards

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed with Great Northern and Thameslink the number of trains cancelled on the publicisedday of travel on the London to Peterborough line.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport is in daily contact with senior officials from Great Northern and Thameslink to ensure that performance on this part of the network is stabilised as soon as possible. We have made clear that the level of service since the May 2018 timetable change is not acceptable. Great Northern and Thameslink are currently operating an amended timetable to try to provide passengers with certainty but I am aware that there have still been many cancellations on the day. Great Northern and Thameslink plan to publish a new interim timetable in mid-July which is designed to bring stability to the service.

Govia Thameslink Railway: Standards

lord naseby: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed with Great Northern and Thameslink why station staff are not given a reliable timetable for the day's trains.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport has been in regular contact with Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), who run Thameslink and Great Northern services, about timetable reliability and passenger communication. We have made clear that the current situation is unacceptable. GTR plan to publish a new interim timetable in mid-July which should be much more reliable and resilient than the current timetable.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Competition

baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to ensureUK participation in the European competition network after Brexit.

lord henley: The Government intends to ensure that UK competition authorities, such as the Competition and Markets Authority, can cooperate effectively and coordinate closely their activity with the European Commission and the competition authorities of EU Member States. This will be subject to negotiations with the EU and could be achieved through an agreed form of UK participation in the European competition network or through another mechanism.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to reassureJapanese car makers that they will not face tariffs, interrupted supply chains, or losing Type Approval for their new automobile models, in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement.

lord henley: As a result of the significant progress made in negotiations, and the agreement reached at the March European Council on the transition period and withdrawal agreement, we are increasingly confident that we will secure a deal with the EU and that the prospect of leaving negotiations with ‘no deal’ has receded significantly. We want our future relationship with the EU to be a deep and special partnership. We are confident that this is in the interests of both sides to secure a good deal outcome. Both the UK and the EU share a strong commercial interest in preserving integrated supply chains, including those that support just-in-time production across the entire automotive sector. Cross-government engagement with key stakeholders across the automotive sector since the referendum has informed and continues to inform our thinking.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Khalida Jarrar

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the continued detentionwithout charge of Palestinian parliament member Khalida Jarrar.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not raised this particular case but we remain concerned about Israel’s extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary rather than as routine practice, and as a preventive rather than a punitive measure. We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law and either charge or release detainees.

Turkey: Religious Freedom

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon (HL8304), whether British Christians and Jews may set up new public buildings for their worship in Turkey.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: In order for religious groups to establish new places of worship in Turkey they must apply to the Turkish government for them to be legally recognised as places of worship. If constructing a new building as a place of worship, religious groups must first apply for permission from the municipality to do so. It is against the law to hold religious services at a location not recognized by the government as a place of worship; the government may fine or close the venues of those violating the law.

Gulf Strategy Unit

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the budget for the Gulf Strategy Integrated Delivery Team for financial year 2018–19; and how many members of staff that Team employs.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Gulf Strategy Integrated Delivery Team budget for FY2018-19 is £850,000. There are currently six staff positions in the Team.

Gulf Strategy Delivery Board

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) departments, and (2) Government agencies, if any, are members of the Gulf Strategy Delivery Board.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Gulf Strategy Delivery Board no longer exists and has been superseded by the Gulf National Security Secretariat Implementation Group (NSSIG). Membership consists of representatives from departments responsible for delivering the Gulf Strategy including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office, the Department for International Development, the Department for International Trade, the Ministry of Defence, Her Majesty's Treasury, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Officials from other departments or agencies may attend as necessary.

Gulf Strategy Core Working Group

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) ministers, (2) departments, and (3) Government agencies, if any, are members of the Gulf Strategy Core Working Group.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Gulf Strategy Working Group is an officials meeting and membership consists of representatives from departments responsible for delivering the Gulf Strategy including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Home Office, the Department for International Development, the Department for International Trade, Ministry of Defence, Her Majesty's Treasury, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Officials from other departments or agencies may attend as necessary.

Gulf States: Overseas Aid

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the (1) allocated budget and (2) actual spend for the Integrated Activity Fund for the financial year 2015–16.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Integrated Activity Fund began in financial year 2016-17. Its allocation was £80 million over the Spending Review period.

Israel: Bedouin

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what replies, if any, they have received from the government of Israel at, or after, the EU Joint Démarche on 29 May concerning the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar village in the West Bank.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Israeli authorities noted our objections but highlighted the Israeli Supreme Court’s ruling. We will continue to urge Israel to reconsider options so the community does not have to move, and press for more Palestinian planning applications to be approved.

Somalia: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) help to reduce tensions between Somaliland and Puntland in Northern Somalia, and (2) assist with the renewal of UN mediation between the governments of Somalia and Ethiopia.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains deeply concerned by recent tensions between Somaliland and Puntland. Our Ambassador continues to raise this issue with the presidents of Somaliland, Puntland and the Federal Government of Somalia to encourage leaders on all sides to engage in constructive dialogue, and to avoid actions or rhetoric which could raise tension or increase the risk of further violence. We are closely engaged with international partners, including the UN, to ensure that they are prepared to respond to any request from the parties themselves for mediation.

Israel: Palestinians

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have been consulted on any aspect of the anticipated United States peace plan for the Middle East.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have regular discussions with the United States on a range of issues including the Middle East Peace Process. We have encouraged the US Administration to bring forward detailed proposals for a viable Israel-Palestinian peace agreement that addresses the legitimate concerns of both parties. We continue to believe the best way to achieve this is through substantive peace talks between the parties leading to a two-state solution with Jerusalem as a shared capital.

Department of Health and Social Care

Liothyronine

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they propose to ensure that the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust withdraws its policy of no longer making Liothyronine (T3) available to NHS patients, contrary to advice issued by NHS England which sets out the circumstances under which Liothyronine (T3) can be prescribed to new patients and continued for existing patients.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what actionthey propose to take to ensure that the High Weald, Lewes and Havens Clinical Commissioning Group withdraws its policy of no longer making Liothyronine (T3) available to NHS patients, contrary to advice issued by NHS England which sets out the circumstances under which Liothyronine (T3) can be prescribed to new patients and continued for existing patients.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust mistakenly stating that the only option for patients wishing to continueLiothyronine (T3) therapy is through the private sector, contrary to advice issued by NHS England which sets out the circumstances under which Liothyronine (T3) can be prescribed to new patients and continued for existing patients.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they propose to ensure that NHS bodies withdraw policies of no longer making Liothyronine (T3) available to NHS patients, contrary to advice issued by NHS England which sets out the circumstances under which Liothyronine (T3) can be prescribed to new patients and continued for existing patients.

lord o'shaughnessy: The national guidelines advise clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) that local decisions should be made regarding arrangements for the on-going prescribing of liothyronine, taking into account the local needs of the population. While CCGs are expected to have regard to national guidance, they are entitled to develop their own local approaches to its implementation. During a debate on 20 June on the Branded Health Service Medicines (Costs) Regulations, I committed to pursuing further with NHS England ways in which they can clarify the guidelines on the prescribing of liothyronine to CCGs, including looking at whether greater clarity on the criteria for appropriate patient usage is merited.The prescribing of Liothyronine (T3) was considered by the Sussex and East Surrey Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) clinical board, which covers Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, and High Weald, Lewes and Havens CCG, following engagement with primary care clinicians and endocrinologists. Based on the evidence presented, the decision not to routinely prescribe Liothyronine (T3) was supported across the STP region. It was, however, recognised that there would be some exceptions to this and that the use of the individual funding request triage process would be an appropriate mechanism to consider these.

Speech and Language Disorders: Children and Young People

lord shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 20 June (HL8430), what are the five active projects funded by the National Institute for Health Research on the effectiveness of speech and language therapy interventions for children and young people.

lord o'shaughnessy: The five active projects funded by the National Institute for Health Research on the effectiveness of speech and language therapy interventions for children and young people are as follows:- ATLAS - Automated Transcription and Language Analysis Software (Award reference II-BP-0817-10014);- Evaluating ‘Enhancing Pragmatic Language skills for Young children with Social communication impairment’ (E-PLAYS): A feasibility study’ (Ref: PB-PG-0416-20035);- A new speech and language therapy intervention for children who have Social Communication Disorder: feasibility and acceptability to service users and practitioners (Ref: PB-PG-1014-35011);- The Paediatric Autism Communication Trial - Generalised (PACT-G) (13/119/18); and- Identifying appropriate symbol communication aids for children who are non-speaking: enhancing clinical decision making (14/70/153).

Drugs: Counterfeit Manufacturing

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to bring into force all aspects of the Falsified Medicines Dirctive (EU2016/161); and if so, when.

lord o'shaughnessy: The United Kingdom will still be a Member State of the European Union until 29 March 2019 and, in line with our existing obligations, will therefore be required to implement the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) Delegated Regulation before 9 February 2019.When the UK exits the EU, the Withdrawal Bill will convert existing EU law into UK law and preserve the laws we have made in the UK to implement our EU obligations. This means that the duties of the regulations under the FMD would continue to apply, unless specifically revoked.Furthermore, on 19 March 2018, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union confirmed that the UK and EU have agreed a fixed implementation period of 21 months, lasting until December 2020. During this time, access to each other’s markets will continue on current terms, including all aspects of FMD, providing certainty for businesses and citizens across the EU and UK, and time to prepare for the future.

Social Services

lord pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to ensure that any recommendations arising from the green paper on social care to be published in the summer will be considered separately to plans for the allocation of the £20.5 billion additional funding to NHS England announced by the Prime Minister on 18 June.

lord o'shaughnessy: It is right that social care funding is agreed alongside the rest of the local government settlement at the forthcoming spending review. However, we recognise that the health and social care systems are two sides of the same coin and we will ensure that social care places no additional pressure on the National Health Service. We also know that decisions on future reforms must be aligned, and this is precisely why it makes sense that we are now publishing the Green Paper in the autumn, around the same time as the NHS plan.

Department for Education

Special Educational Needs: Mental Illness

lord shinkwin: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 20 June (HL8427), how many disabled people serve on the external steering group working with the Department for Education on updating the mental health and behaviour guidance for schools.

lord agnew of oulton: The department does not hold disability data on members of the external steering group. The group includes representatives from a range of organisations, including those that work with and for children with special educational needs and disabilities. This includes the Council for Disabled Children and the Social, Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties Association which works to support provision children with social, emotional and mental health difficulties in mainstream and special schools.

Apprentices: Standards

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Institute of Apprenticeshipswill approve the frameworkfor the Higher Level Apprenticeships.

lord agnew of oulton: This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships. I have asked its Chief Executive, Sir Gerry Berragan, to write to the noble Lord and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Training

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessments they haveundertaken to identify the critical skills that UK-based businesses need; and what steps they are taking to ensure that the UK workforce has those skills.

lord agnew of oulton: The department recently conducted the latest Employer Skills Survey, which provides robust assessments of skills shortages across the UK by region and by sector. The results of this survey will be published by the end of summer 2018. The department also holds responsibility for ‘Working Futures 2014 to 2024’, which provides labour market projections. A summary of this report is attached and the full report is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/513801/Working_Futures_final_evidence_report.pdf.In addition, we are establishing Skills Advisory Panels (SAPs), which bring together local representatives including business, training providers and tertiary education to make sure that the local provision of skills, and the delivery of skills policy in local areas, meets and responds to changing employer needs. Along with SAPs, we hold frequent meetings with businesses from across sectors to ensure we adapt our programmes to meet their needs.We are working with employers to jointly design and deliver policies and programmes, which will make the skills system more responsive to employer needs, while giving individuals the skills they need to succeed. This includes making apprenticeships longer, better, with more off-the job training and proper end point assessments; and developing T Levels to offer a high quality and rigorous technical alternative to academic education. The National Colleges and Institutes of Technology will provide higher level technical skills needs. The department is developing a new National Retraining Scheme, an ambitious, far-reaching programme, which will give adults the skills they need to thrive and support employers to adapt as the economy changes.We established The Careers & Enterprise Company (the Company) to connect schools and colleges with employers to offer young people meaningful encounters with the world of work. Since 2015, the Company’s Enterprise Adviser Network has recruited over 2000 Enterprise Advisers. These senior business volunteers work with individual schools or colleges providing strategic guidance on their careers plans in order to open young people’s eyes to opportunities and raise their aspirations.



HL899_Working_Futures_summary
(PDF Document, 1.5 MB)

Impact Assessments

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what rules apply to the publication of impact assessments by (1) the Department for Education, and (2) the Department for Work and Pensions.

lord agnew of oulton: The Department for Education and the Department for Work and Pensions publish Regulatory Impact Assessments in line with guidance published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which can be found attached, and also available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/better-regulation-framework.Other impact assessments are published in a variety of ways, as part of a consultation document alongside legislation on www.legislation.gov.uk and summarised in the Explanatory Memorandums which accompany legislation.



Better_regulation_framework_interim_guidance_2018
(PDF Document, 349.69 KB)

The Senior Deputy Speaker

House of Lords: Staff

lord clark of windermere: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many individuals are employed by (1) the House of Lords, and (2) by the House of Lords jointly with the House of Commons.

lord mcfall of alcluith: At the end of Q1 2018, the Administration of the House of Lords had 607 employees. This equates to a full time equivalent (FTE) workforce of 513.4 staff. Of these staff, 46 (44.43 FTE) were employed in the Parliamentary Archives and the Parliamentary Procurement and Commercial Service, both of which provide a service to the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The Parliamentary Digital Service (PDS) is a joint department of both Houses. In June 2018, the total number of PDS staff was 456 (442.83 FTE). While there are a number of other offices or departments providing a bicameral service, those staff are not employed by the House of Lords Administration.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Investment: Turkey

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Fairhead (HL8303), whether the advice to UK businesses considering the Turkish market and established UK investors in Turkey includes information on business security and business continuity matters.

baroness fairhead: Supporting businesses to invest overseas and reach their full potential is an important priority for the Department as we strive to create a global and outward-looking economy. We realise that business continuity and business security also need to be addressed. The Department for International Trade (DIT) advises UK businesses considering entering the Turkish market, and established UK investors in Turkey, on an individual basis, alongside our strategic business delivery partner, the British Chamber of Commerce in Turkey. DIT offers a range of practical support to businesses, who may contact the Department’s staff to talk about their specific requirements, including business security and continuity matters. Country-specific advice is also available on the www.gov.uk or www.great.gov.uk websites.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Non-domestic Rates

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost to local government of collecting business rates in England in each of the last three years.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Data reported by local authorities in England on the amount spent on collecting non-domestic rates for 2014-15 to 2016-17 can be found in the tables below:Financial yearTotal service expenditure for non-domestic rates collectionTotal income for non-domestic rates collectionNet current expenditure for non-domestic rates collection £ million£ million£ million2014-1590.873.817.02015-1686.675.511.12016-1793.281.811.4 Local authorities are able to offset the costs of collections through fees and charges, which is shown in the table as income. Additionally, under the rates retention system, we give billing authorities an “allowance” made up of business rates income, for which they retain 100 per cent, instead of having to share it with central government and their major precepting authorities.

Community Assets

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they provide to local authorities on managing risks in community asset transfers; and whether the advice in the documentManaging Risks in Asset Transfer: A Guide published by the Department for Communities and Local Government in June 2008 is still current.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Local authorities are responsible for developing their own community asset transfer policy based on their unique knowledge of local circumstance and council priorities. The risks set out in the 2008 guidance are still relevant, and Government has funded the online My Community platform as resource to assist both local authorities and community groups about the risks and opportunities associated with Community Asset Transfer. Complementing this support is bespoke help and advice from key supporters of community asset transfer such as Sport England, Power to Change, the Big Lottery and Heritage Lottery who work with community groups and councils to establish the most sustainable ways of helping move valued local assets into community ownership.

Department for Work and Pensions

Pension Wise

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Bates on 25 June (HL8507), how many individuals have accessed support from PensionWise (1) online, (2) by telephone, and (3) face-to-face in each year since 2015.

baroness buscombe: Pension Wise has delivered 276,204 appointments and has had 7,233,319 website visits since it was launched in 2015 (data up to and including May 2018). A breakdown by financial year and delivery channel is below:   Total appointmentsTelephoneFace to FaceDigital appointmentsWeb visits2014/15312202110N/A719,3572015/1660,90719,95040,957N/A1,725,2232016/1766,17417,76148,413N/A2,207,6802017/18122,14724,28963,18134,6772,174,550April - May 2018/1926,6645,23513,2718,158406,509Total276,20467,437165,93242,8357,233,319

Occupational Pensions

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measuresthey have put in place to ensure auto-enrolment pension records are accurate; and what checksthey require pension schemes toundertake to ensure the contribution payments are correct.

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they have taken to ensure pension schemes have an obligation to assess auto-enrolment pension scheme contributions regularly for accuracy, and to monitor error rates in contribution data; and what reassurance they are giving to members of such schemes that the amounts paid in on their behalf by their employers are correct.

baroness buscombe: Automatic enrolment has been a great success, with over 9.7 million employees enrolled and more than 1.2 million employers have met their duties to date. Government has put in place a robust, proportionate compliance framework. This is administered by The Pensions Regulator, and includes detailed regulatory guidance about how to comply with the law. An employer is required to select a qualifying pension scheme; enrol qualifying staff into that scheme, and deduct any contributions payable under automatic enrolment. Employers are also required to pay those contributions across to their chosen pension provider by a set deadline. Although the deadlines for contribution payments vary, depending on the type of scheme being used, there is an overall legal deadline of the twenty-second day of the following month; which aligns with the HMRC deadline for paying tax and National Insurance. Qualifying pension schemes for automatic enrolment are subject to the same regulatory framework as all trust-based workplace pension schemes, also overseen by The Pensions Regulator. The Regulator has published codes of practice on its website setting out how trustees of defined contribution pension schemes and managers of personal pension schemes should monitor the payment of contributions; provide information to help members check their contributions; and report material payment failures to the Regulator.

Home Office

UK Border Force

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have begun to work with airports and the air freight industry to develop a long-term plan for the Border Force to deal with the growth in demand for passenger and freight flights post-Brexit; and if so, when they plan to publish such a plan.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government is committed to developing a border which utilises technology and automation, and better balances security and prosperity. The Government will continue to work closely with airports and other relevant parties within the industry to understand their concerns and address them as well as to create opportunities. Border Force has established a dedicated Industry Partnerships team for such engagement.As part of our preparations Border Force is recruiting 300 frontline officers to allow existing staff to be trained in new requirements ahead of EU Exit. This is separate from the recruitment of up to 1,000 Border Force officers, which is to meet a range of business needs, including allowing Border Force to respond flexibly to emerging requirements.While we cannot comment on detailed EU Exit planning, Government departments are working together across a range of complex issues to develop our future approach at the border. These options will be kept under review in light of negotiations with the EU.

Immigration: Fees and Charges

lord cooper of windrush: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total income from Home Office Immigration and Nationality Charges in each year since 2010.

baroness williams of trafford: Income from Immigration and Nationality Charges is not reported as a separate line in the Home Office accounts. Information on ‘Visa and Immigration’ income is published annually in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts. Refer to links below for the last 7 years figures.The FY 2016/17 Home Office income includes income for HM Passport Office from their continuing activities, representing the sale value of all services provided during they year. Income receviable for fees charged in respect of applications for visas and immigration documents.FY2016/17 - 5. Income 2016-17 £000Restated 2015-16 £000Core Department & AgenciesDepartmental GroupCore Department & AgenciesDepartmental GroupRetained IncomeIncome from sale of goods and servicesPassport fees398,277398,277392,825392,825Visa and Immigration income1,182,3751,182,3751,086,7451,086,745Immigration Health Surcharge193,715193,715145,192145,192Hendon data centre income91,30691,306106,561106,561Airwave39,00039,00022,20222,202Certificate Services15,81815,81814,45114,451DBS income-153,150-145,200EU income53,47853,47841,93841,938Other operating incomeAsset recovery income166,185166,185186,420186,420Other administration income37,74037,91350,79953,461Other programme income141,409176,125160,801196,529Total Retained Income2,319,3032,507,3422,207,9342,391,524Payable to Consolidated FundPassport fees85,10385,10383,72383,723Immigration Health Surcharge16,53516,53523,92023,920Other administration income--11Other programme income4,5524,5523,0963,096Total payable to Consolidated Fund106,190106,190110,740110,740Total2,425,4932,613,5322,318,6742,502,264 FY2016/17 - page 117: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/627853/ho_annual_report_and_accounts_2016_2017.pdfFY2015/16 - page 134:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/539638/HO_AR_16_gov.pdfFY2014/15 – page 126 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/441282/HO-AR15_web.pdfFY2013/14 – page 111https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/321446/ARA_web_enabled_18_June.pdfFY2012/13 – page 133https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210660/Annual_Report_and_Accounts_FINAL_updated_logo.pdfFY2011/12 – page 136 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/143619/annual-report-2011-12.pdfFY2010/11 – page 115-116https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/120048/annual-report-201011.pdf



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Adeniyi Raji

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 26 June (HL8732), why they did not answer concerning the specific threat to Adeniyi Raji if he is returned to Nigeria, in the light of Nigeria's laws against homosexuality.

baroness williams of trafford: The reason the question was not case specifically answered, was because we cannot comment on individual cases.

Department for Exiting the European Union

British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries

baroness deech: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the progress of negotiations to secure the settlement rights of British citizens living in the EU after Brexit.

lord callanan: From the very beginning the Prime Minister has been clear that safeguarding the rights of UK nationals living in the EU, and EU citizens living in the UK, was her first priority for negotiations. The agreement reached and set out in the Withdrawal Agreement text will provide them with certainty about their rights going forward. This will mean that all UK nationals resident in the EU by December 2020 will be able to continue living their lives broadly as they do now in their country of residence. It will be for each Member State to determine how they will confirm the rights of UK nationals under the Withdrawal Agreement. We are seeking details of how each EU Member State will implement the Withdrawal Agreement for UK nationals.

Treasury

Forestry: Tax Allowances

lord clark of windermere: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the cost to the Exchequer of the value respectively of (1) Capital Gains Tax relief, (2) Inheritance Tax relief, (3) Income Tax relief, and (4) Business Rate relief given to forestry and upland land ownerships over the past five years.

lord bates: An estimate of Capital Gains Tax, Inheritance Tax, Income Tax and business rate reliefs pertaining to forestry and upland land in particular, over the last five years, is not available. These are part of wider reliefs that are available to business owners.

Freezing of Assets: Libya

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current monetary value of frozen Libyan assets in the UK.

lord bates: At close of business on 29 September 2017 the approximate total value of frozen Libyan funds in the UK was £12.061 billion. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) undertakes an annual frozen asset review requiring all persons or institutions that hold or control frozen assets in the UK to report to OFSI, from which this figure is taken.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compliance of the HMRC’s Voice ID system with the General Data Protection Regulation; and whether HMRC obtain sufficient consent before using voice recording to identify a person.

lord bates: HMRC carried out a Privacy Impact Assessment of its Voice ID system when it went live in January 2017. The system relied on the implied consent of the customer, which was compliant with the data protection legislation in effect at the time. Now that new data protection legislation has come into effect, HMRC has reviewed the Voice ID system and made some immediate changes to ensure customers are better informed about how their data is collected and used, how to provide or withhold consent and how to withdraw consent at a later stage.

Ministry of Justice

Family Proceedings: Jurisdiction

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government which jurisdiction will apply in family law disputes where one parent is living in another EU member state after 29 March 2019.

lord keen of elie: The UK and EU negotiation teams have agreed the terms of an implementation period running from 30 March 2019 until 31 December 2020, which will mean that the existing rules continue to determine which jurisdiction hears a family law dispute until the end of that period. The UK Government has also been clear that we are seeking a comprehensive future relationship with the EU in the area of civil judicial cooperation, to include rules on which jurisdiction will hear cases in family law disputes involving parties based in EU Member States.